Alabama softball team to play Cal tomorrow in Women's College World Series semifinals

Alabama's Cassie Reilly-Boccia (18), Courtney Conley (9), catcher Kendall Dawson, and pitcher Jackie Traina, right, celebrate after defeating Arizona State 2-1 in a Women's College World Series game in Oklahoma City on Friday night. The Tide faces Cal on Sunday. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Being battle-tested is nothing new for Alabama's softball team.

After all, the Crimson Tide came from a conference that sent nine teams to the NCAA tournament, four to Super Regionals and three to the Women's College World Series.

Alabama took it to a new level last week, defeating two teams ranked in the top five en route to Sunday's semifinal with Cal, a 6-3 winner over Oregon on Saturday night.

"In the College World Series, everybody's a good team," Alabama coach coach Patrick Murphy said. "It's incredible how one little mistake can cost you. I have friends in baseball all over the country who keep texting me and saying, 'How can you do that?' It's one pitch, one at-bat can mean a loss."

Alabama can advance to its first WCWS finals with a win in the 2:30 p.m. game. If the Tide loses, it will be forced into a deciding game at 8:30 p.m.

The Crimson Tide, the No. 2 seed, reached the semifinals by beating SEC rival Tennessee 5-3 on Thursday and defending national champion Arizona State 2-1 on Friday to earn a day off.

Alabama's mission today is to advance to the finals, a best-of-three series that starts Monday.

"The big step is getting that first one," Murphy said.

Murphy said all that needed to be said about No. 1-ranked California was: "They're the Pac-12 champions."

The Golden Bears come into the series ranked No. 5 in scoring (6.7 runs per game), No. 3 in team ERA (1.21) and No. 10 in team batting average.